Oil tank



Feb. i3, E923.

n,445,092 F. W. KUEFFER OIL TANK piped Apr. 25, 1921` Patented Feb. i3, 1923..

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICH KUEFFER, OF TULSA. OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE F.- EASTIN,

E; A. LEWIS, F. W. KUEFFER, AND JACOB COLE, TRUSTEES F THE SAFETY OIL TANK COMPANY, 0F TULSA, OKLAHOMA.

o IL TANK;

Application led April 23, 1921. Serial No. 464,021.

To all lwhom z't may concern Be it known that I, FREDERIGH W. FER, a/citizen of the United States, residing at Tulsa, in the countyl of Tulsa and State are constructed with a floating roof instead of a stationary roof. The principal objects of the inventlon are to provide a iioating roof which will reduce evaporation to a'negligible quantity, elimi-v nate all gas pockets and provide a means whereby the oil will be permitted to overilow without damage to the loating roof in case the tank is inadvertently or accidentallyoversupplied. f

-Other objects of the invention consisting of novel features of construction and arrangements of parts will become apparent on reference to the following specication which describes the invention in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a. central vertical section through the tank. A y

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through a portion of the float.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan vview of the float with certain parts broken away.

The numeral 10 designates the base of the tank, 11 the upright side wall or shell thereof which is usually cylindrical in form and composed of a large number of platessuitably riveted together. Columns 12 extend at intervals vertically upward and are secured vto the shell 11 of the tank for bracing the tank. A- plurality of intermediate posts 13 and a center post 14 also extend upwardly from the base and terminate above the tank in flanges or plates 15 and 16 which are level with the top of the columns 12. Beams 17 extend radially from the plate 16 and rest on the aligning flanges 15 and the tops of corresponding columns 12. These beams 'are secured to the columns and posts by any suit-- able fastening devices such as rivets or bolts.

A float or open casing 18 is provided with a body having a base 19 formed with suitable apertures through which posts 13 and the same and also project upwardly abovel 14 extend, and cylindrical side wall 20 composed of structural plates suitably secured together in fluid tight relation. An angularly disposed or slanting section 21, extending annularly around the body connects the base 19 to the side wall 20. The diameter of the side wall 20 is slightly less than the diameter of the shell 11 of the tank and the float is so positioned as to leave an annular space 22 between the float and the tank. My invention is chiefly concerned with the means employed for sealing this space against evaporation, which means will automatically yield for passing obstructions such as rivet heads, without binding the float.

According to my invention, for this purpose, use is made of a plurality of wooden blocks 23 having tapered surfaces 24 which are adapted to abut against the slanting section 21. These wooden blocks 23 are arranged completely aroundthe float and in order to seal the openings between adjacent blocks, each'block is provided with a metallic plate 25. such as steel or iron, having a flat portion secured to the Hat upper surfaceA of the block and bent at 26 so as to provide a slanting part corresponding to the taper of the surface 24 of the block and the slope of section 21. These plates 25 are made wider than the wooden blocks so as to overlap the adjacent block at each side as shown at 27. 27 28 and 29. The plates 25 are provided withextensions of the same widths as the outer ends of the wooden blocks and these extensions are bent upwardly at 30 to form a substantially vertical surface 31 and an inwardly bent or cam adapted to contact and slide upon the interior of the shell 11, and in order to maintain this surface in firm but yielding contact with the shell a coil spring 33 is interposed between the body of the oat and the shell of the tank. The casing 2() of the float and the plates 31 .are preferably provided with opposite bosses or lugs 34, 35 which are adapted to engage within the terminal coils of the spring and thus aid in maintaining the spring and the floating blocks 23 in operative position. 4

In order to further seal the cracks or openings 36 between adjacent blocks, a plate or strip 37 is attached to the bottom of each lshould approach the top of the tank it is obvious that the springs 33 might expand and force the blocks 23 out of the tank. To overcome this difficulty and permit the oil to overflow from the tank without raising the float above a certain point, I provide a cam 39 at the top of the tank which is secured.

to the shell 11V andl also to the columns 12. This cam extends completely around the tank and is adapted to cooperate with the cam ends 32 of the plates 25 secured to the wooden blocks, so that when the ioat approaches the top of the tank the cam 39 will engage the cam ends 32, and gradually force the wooden blocks 23 inward against the tension of the springs 33. thus leaving a ga between the float and the tank througi which the oil may How.

The float is designed so that the oil level will be substantially as indicated by the line 40. The buoyant effect of the oil will be sufficient to hold the wooden blocks with the slanting surfaces of the plates 25 firmly against the angular section 21 of the float. There is no fixed connection between the ioat and wooden block assemblies and the latter are therefore free to reciprocate relatively to the float. The overlapping top plates 25 and the bottom plates 37 which eX- tend over the cracks between the wooden blocks, act to seal the tank against evapora tion but this seal becomes more effective with continued use of the float when the slight initial evaporation from the surface of the oil results in a gummy substance accumulating in the small open places which may exist between the overlapping plates,

thus providing practically a complete closure for the tank.

As the float rises and falls in response to the variations in the oil level, rivet heads in the shell 11 encountering cam shaped ends 32 at the top. or the corresponding cam surfaces 32 at the outer ends of the wood blocks act to force the various blocks inward separately and independently7 and as soon as these obstructions are passed the springs 33 force the blocks back to their original positions against the shell 11 of the tank. The small openings thus occasionally afforded by the passage of the plates 25 over the rivet heads are practically the only openings through which the evaporation may take place, and in large tanks this-exposure is almost negligible. The beams 17 constitute an open frame work at the top of the tank and there is therefore no fixed closure under which explosive gases mayaccumulat'e, any evaporation which may take place escapes directly into the atmosphere and the danger of the accumulation of such gases in the tank and their subsequent ignition is thereby avoided. Sleeves 41 'andD 42 are secured to the base 19 of the float and surround the posts 13 and 14 respectively in spaced relation, thereby providing annular spaces in which the (il may rise to the same level as in the tank without escaping intothe float.

It will be understood that other substances than wood may be used as the material for the blocks 23 the only requirement being that those blocks and their accessory parts may be supported by the buoyant effort of the liquid. Any suitable means may be employed for filling and draining the tank but no such structure is shown as the present invention does not involve this feature, however, the type of filling andv draining means shown and described in my copending application Serial No. 464,020, filed April 23, 1919, is preferred. AOther changes, modifi cations and departures may also be made from the particular construction described and shown, as this particular embodiment has been chosen for illustrative purpose merely, and the invention as defined by the claims hereunto appended may be otherwise embodied and applied ,without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters 0 Patent, is:-

1. In an oil tank. a floating roof comprising a body of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank. means interposed between the body of the floating roof and said shell and supported against said body by the buoyant effort of the oil. and spring devices for yieldingly holding said means against' the shell. l

2. In an oil tank, a ioating roof compris ing a body of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank. and means supported by the buoyant effort of the oil and adapted to support said body and to reciprocate radially for sealing the space between said body and the shell.

3. In an oil tank. a floating roof compris ing a body of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank and means adapted to support said body and to float on the oil for sealing the space between said body and tbe tank.

4. In an oil tank. a floating roof comprising a body of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank and means for sealing the space between said body and the shell including a plurality of floating blocks adapted to be held in supporting Contact with said body by the buoyant effort of the oil.

5. In an oil tank, a floating roof comprising a body of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank, floating blocks for sealing the space between said body and shell, and means for yieldingly holding said blocks in Contact with the shell, said blocks having radial sliding contact with said body. I

6. In an oil tank. a floating roof comprising, in combination. a body of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank, radially movable sector shaped floating blocks for' closing the space between said body and shell, and means for sealing the openings between adjacent blocks.

7. In an oil tank. a floating roof comprising, in combination, a bodvv of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank, floating blocks for closing the space between said body and shell, and plates secured to said blocks adapted to overlap for sealing the openings between adjacent blocks.

8. In an oil tank, a floating roof comprising, in combination, a bodyof smaller dimension than the shell of the tank. floating` blocks for closing the space between said body and shell, plates secured to the top of said blocks and adapted to overlap for sealing the openings between adjacentA blocks, said plates having extensions engaging the shell of the tank, and spring means for yieldingly maintaining said extensions in contact with the shell.

9. In an -oil tank, a floating roof comprising, in combination, a. body of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank, floating blocks for closing the space between said body and shell. plates secured to the tops of said blocks and adapted to overlap for sealing the openings between adjacent blocks, said plates having extensions formed with vertical faces and cam shaped upper ends. and spring means for yieldingly maintaining said vertical faces vin contact with the shell whereby said blocks may be moved gradually inward against the tension of said spring means when said cam ends and vertical faces encounter rivet heads or other obstruction on t-he shell.

10. In an oil tank. a-floating roof comprising. in combination, a body of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank, floating blocks for closing the space between said body and shell, plates secured to the tops of said blocks adapted to overlap and strips secured to the bottom of said blocks adapted to extend slightly under the adjacent blockv for sealing the openings between the blocks.

11. In an oil tank, a floating roof comprising, in combination, a body of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank, floating blocks provided with cam shaped outer ends for closing the space between said body and shell, plates secured to said blocks having substantially vertical surfaces for engaging the shell and inturned upper ends. and spring means tending to maintain the vertical surfaces in contact with the shell ally inward against the tension of. said lsprings when said cam or int'urned lends encounter a rivet head or other obstruction in thel shell ofthe tank.

12. The combination with the shell of an oil tank, of a floating roof comprising a body of smaller dimensionthan said shell, means adapted to float on the oil for sealing the space between said body and tank, spring devices for yieldingly holdingsaid means against the shell, and coacting cams for positively moving said means inwardly against the tension of said devices whenl the Vfloat is near the top of the tank.

13. The combination with the shell of an oil tank, of a floating roof comprising a body of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank,means supported by the buoyant effort of the oil and adapted to reciprocate radially for sealing the space between said body and the shell, and a cam fixed to the shell near the top thereof adapted toV contact with said means as the floating roof approaches the top of the tank for moving said means inward and permitting the oil to flow over the top of the tank through the space thus formed between said means and the shell.

14. The combination with the shell of an oil tank, of a floating roof comprising, a body of smaller dimension thansaid shell, floating blocks for closing the space between said body vand shell, plates secured to the tops of said blocks and adapted to overlap for sealing the openings between adjacentvv blocks, said plates having extensions formed with upper cam shaped ends, spring means for yieldingly maintaining said extensions in contact with the shell, and means adapted to engage said cam shaped ends for moving'said blocks inwardly against the tension of said spring means when the oil level approaches thetop of the shell,

15. In an oil tank, a floating roof comprisin a body of smaller dimension than the shell of the tank, va plurality o,f blocks maintainedl against said body by the buoyant effort of the oil. and springs 'for holding said blocks in contact with the shell for sealing the space between said body and lshell and permitting independent radial movements of said blocks.

16. The combination with the shell of an oil tank, of a floating roof comprising a body of smaller dimensionthan said shell, means for. normally closing the space lbetween said body and tank, and cam devices for positively moving said means Afor opening said space when the float approaches the top of the tank.

17. A roof for tanks comprising abody of smallerA diameter than the .interior of the tank, radially movable sector shaped blocks adapted to float on the liquid in said tankand to support said body` Said sector shaped ative thereto, said blocks being limited to blocks being adapted to move radially under radial and vertical movement.

pressure, and means movable radially with In testimony whereof l have hereunto set the blocks for covering the space between my hand in presence of two subscribing 5 said sector shaped blocks. d Witnesses.

18. A tank for containin liqui a roo 1 comprising a body of smallei diameter than FREDERICH W' KUEFB ER' the internal diameter of the tank, sector Witnesses: shaped blocks adapted to float on the liquid E. W. SHACKELFORD,

10 supporting said body, movable radially rel- C. H. MCCRACKEN. 

